Harvest Behind Schedule In Northern Wisconsin

Farmers are facing delays in harvesting their soybean and corn crops because of a cool and wet spring.

While the weather this fall has been warm and mostly dry, farmers in the northern two-thirds of the state are behind schedule when it comes to their soybean and corn harvests, said Jerry Clark, University of Wisconsin-Extension agriculture agent for Chippewa County.

“We started late with a really wet spring in many parts of the area and now we’re seeing that on the backside of the harvest,” said Clark. “We’re probably a couple weeks behind schedule where we’re just getting the soybean harvest into full swing and typically we’re trying to wrap that up about now.”

Clark said the delay isn’t that unusual and the weather so far this fall has been perfect for farmers. But steady rain at the end of October and into November could cause problems.

“We would like to have some warmer temperatures through November if possible,” said Clark. “But if we get delayed any more, that’s where we’re going to see maybe some molds in the corn. The quality of the grain can start to decline if we can’t get it out of the field quick enough.”

Also, Clark said that if the weather remains wet through November, farmers may have to use propane heaters to dry their corn, which would chip away at profits.